Thursday, March 15, 2012

The trade deadline has come and gone...

And the Knicks didn't do anything! It seemed like the Knicks would just sit on their current roster... what else could they do at this point?! Alan Hahn mentioned earlier today that things were quiet on the trade front for the Knicks and he was right. In each of the last three years, the Knicks made fairly big deals at the trade deadline, so it was pretty refreshing to just sit back and let the madness swirl around other teams. Plus we got to keep Toney Douglas!

Meanwhile, some other big moves were made around the league, some of them affecting the Knicks' Eastern Conference foes. The Milwaukee Bucks traded Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown, which might potentially bolster Milwaukee's backcourt, pairing Brandon Jennings and Ellis, and it adds depth to their frontcourt. The Knicks had better hope it doesn't work out well because the two teams are competing for the 8th spot in the East.

The Indiana Pacers (who are well ahead of the Knicks in the standings, but an opponent nonetheless, particularly this week) acquired Leandro Barbosa and added some punch to their bench, while giving up very little.

The Philadelphia 76ers picked up Sam Young from the Memphis Grizzlies for practically nothing as well. Young hasn't played very much this season and might not play much with the 76ers, but he also adds some depth to their team.

The New Jersey Nets - who are probably the losers of the day with Dwight Howard deciding to stay in Orlando - also decided to make some moves. They traded Mehmet Okur, Shawne (Extra E!) Williams, and a 1st round pick to the Portland Trailblazers for Gerald Wallace. If New Jersey gets healthy, they might be able to make a run for a playoff spot, so the Knicks should also beware of those pesky cross-river foes.

The Knicks have their work cut out for them and this year's deadline didn't make it any easier for them.